Workers involved in the construction or maintenance repair of buildings risk serious injury or fatality if they should lose their balance and fall off the edge of a roof or a walking-working surface, or into a hole in the floor or roof. Injuries and fatalities caused by falls from unguarded roof edges, through roof and floor holes, or through unprotected skylight fixtures are some of the most severe and costly categories of injury in all U.S. private industry. One estimate indicates that slips and falls injuries are at least a $5.7 billion/year construction industry problem. In response, various safety systems have been proposed over the years and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has promulgated regulations specifically requiring employers to provide fall protection to workers.
Current OSHA regulations for the construction industry are contained in 29 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 1926. Specifically, Subpart M, which includes Sections 1926.500 through 1926.503 and Appendices A through E, lists the requirements that are related to workplace falls. Section 1926.501 discusses the requirements for fall protection. Subsection 1926.501(b)(1) states that “Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.” Subsection 1926.501(b)(4)(i) states that “Each employee on walking/working surfaces shall be protected from falling through holes (including skylights) more than 6 feet (1.8 m) above lower levels, by personal fall arrest systems, covers, or guardrail systems erected around such holes.” In addition, subsection 1926.502(b) states that:                Guardrail systems and their use shall comply with the following provisions:        (1) Top edge height of top rails, or equivalent guardrail system members, shall be 42 inches (1.1 m) plus or minus 3 inches (8 cm) above the walking/working level . . . .        (2)(i) Midrails, when used, shall be installed at a height midway between the top edge of the guardrail system and the walking/working level. . . .        (3) Guardrail systems shall be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 200 pounds (890 N) applied within 2 inches (5.1 cm) of the top edge, in any outward or downward direction, at any point along the top edge. . . .        (4) When the 200 pound (890 N) test load . . . is applied in a downward direction, the top edge of the guardrail shall not deflect to a height less than 39 inches (1.0 m) above the walking/working level. Guardrail system components selected and constructed in accordance with Appendix B [of] Subpart M . . . will be deemed to meet this requirement.        (5) Midrails . . . shall be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 150 pounds (666 N) applied in any downward or outward direction at any point along the midrail . . . .        (6) Guardrail systems shall be so surfaced as to prevent injury to an employee from punctures or lacerations, and to prevent snagging of clothing.        (7) The ends of all top rails and midrails shall not overhang the terminal posts, except where such overhang does not constitute a projection hazard. . . .        (11) When guardrail systems are used at holes, they shall be erected on all unprotected sides or edges of the hole.        (12) When guardrail systems are used around holes used for the passage of materials, the hole shall not have more than two sides provided with removable guardrail sections to allow the passage of materials. When the hole is not in use, . . . a guardrail system shall be provided along all unprotected sides or edges. . . .        (14) Guardrail systems used on ramps and runways shall be erected along each unprotected side or edge.        
Attempts have been made in the past to solve this problem, but such past devices have either not been adjustable to a wide variety of roof pitches, use a pitch adjustment mechanism that presents a potential point of failure, are difficult to set up and remove, or are overly complex. Thus, there remains a need for a portable barricade system that meets OSHA requirements, is easy to set up and remove, is adjustable to the respective pitch of the underlying surface, is solidly constructed, and is collapsible so as to be easily transportable between job sites.